1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to card connectors, and more particularly to a card connector built in a portable personal computer, etc., and provided with a card ejecting mechanism in which an operation member is pushed in to eject an inserted card.
2. Description of the Related Art
A card connector provided with a card ejecting mechanism is built in a portable personal computer, etc. In order to eject a card, the user pushes the operation member by a predetermined stroke with his fingertip. However, it is disadvantageous in terms of appearance to have the operation member protruding out from the side of the personal computer.
To address this disadvantage, there is a commercially implemented card connector in which a heart-shaped cam referred to as a push-on/push-off switch is employed in the card ejecting mechanism. An operation edge of the operation member is usually pushed into the same level as the side surface of the personal computer. As a preparatory operation, the user pushes the operation edge with his finger tip so that the operation edge is temporarily pushed in and then the operation member protrudes from the side surface of the personal computer. Subsequently, as a main operation, the user pushes in the protruding operation edge to eject a card.
However, the problem with this card connector is that if the user pushes the operation edge when there is no card inserted, the operation edge protrudes from the side surface of the personal computer. As a result, the operation member needlessly protrudes from the side surface of the personal computer.
An improved version of this card connector is being prepared for commercialization. Specifically, when a card is not inserted, even if the user pushes the operation edge with his fingertip, the operation edge does not protrude from the side surface of the personal computer.
However, this card ejecting mechanism requires different operations when a card is inserted and when a card is not inserted.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. H11-086966
Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. H11-219756
Patent Document 3: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2006-244774
Each of the card ejecting mechanisms of these card connectors includes many parts. Furthermore, the part where different operations are performed when a card is inserted and when a card is not inserted is narrow. These factors make it difficult to assemble the card connector.
Even when a card is not inserted, a cam follower moves along the side of the gap of the heart-shaped cam in directions toward the outward groove and/or the inward groove. Accordingly, due to assembling errors, the cam follower may erroneously enter the outward groove or the inward groove and cause a failure.